


Case Study in a Court of Love

by wholewheatpopcorn



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M, rich lawyer au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:15:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25890445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholewheatpopcorn/pseuds/wholewheatpopcorn
Summary: Maximus hasn't seen Vincent in years but he would be lying if he said the years didn't treat Vincent well.
Relationships: Virus | Maxwell Vincent Tyler / Muse | Maximus Taylor
Kudos: 1





	Case Study in a Court of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Rich Lawyer AU: Max and Vincent went to college together. After graduation, Max moved to New Jersey to take a teaching job. Vincent applied to law school and became a lawyer. He got rich and returned to find Max and win his heart with money, clothes and sweets.

It started like this: the doorbell rang. 

Max wasn’t particularly expecting any visitors nor was he in the mood to greet one. He was quite sure Phillip and Sebastian were busy with other things today so he wasn’t even sure who the person could be. 

Did he order takeout?

No, he was certain he would’ve remembered something like that. Maybe it was another one of those door to door salesmen. Or Girl Scouts looking to sell cookies. The second option was looking a bit appealing, actually. He’d ran out of his stock of cookies already but hadn’t had the time to flag a Girl Scout down for more cookies. 

The doorbell rang again. He figured it was likely not a Girl Scout, after all the season for cookie selling had already passed. Which left him with a telemarketer or potentially his neighbor with an emergency. 

He wasn’t feeling particularly inclined to respond to the door for either of the two options, really. Furthermore, the couch was so comfortable and he really wasn’t in the mood to move from his nest of blankets. He wouldn’t open the door, he decided. 

The doorbell rang again. Max did what he did best and ignored it. A few moments passed. 

And again. Once again, he ignored it. 

Again. Ignored. 

Ag—

He tore off his blankets and stormed to the door, opening it with no small amount of fury. 

“What do you want.” He ground out, eyes adjusting to the brightness outdoors and the figure in front of him. 

A figure that was tall yet rather fit. They wore a fitted suit with box dangling from their long finger. Max couldn’t help but notice how their black overcoat seemed to hug their arms just enough to imply a subtle definition of muscle underneath. Their legs long and lean, were embellished by the taper of their dress pants. This person had... quite good tastes in clothes actually. He could feel his ears get hot as he brought his gaze up to inspect the door knocker’s face. A handsome, defined face with an achingly familiar smirk and a gaze that could pierce through his soul.

Vincent. 

His breath caught in his throat. He gave Vincent another glance over and something he couldn’t quite name thrummed in his chest. He slammed the door shut. 

Or he would’ve, if not for Vincent’s hand shooting out to brace against the door. Max knew full well that Vincent could have simply forced the door open, yet he only exerted enough force to keep Max from shutting it completely. 

“Maaaaaaaxxx.” Vincent had a light, playful tone in his voice as he droned his name. “You’re not even going to let me in? I came all this way to visit you.” Max remained silent, determinedly shoving his weight against the door. If his face was red, well, it wasn’t as if Vincent could tell anyways with the door between them. 

He was not equipped to deal with this, no sir not today. Not even tomorrow. And not even the day after. What was Vincent doing here? Was he trying to give Max a heart attack? Max didn’t even know how to deal with this sudden arrival of an old friend— didn’t know what would be an appropriate way to deal with him. It was easier to just ignore him, yes. 

“I brought you some cake.” The door swung open. 

Vincent’s ridiculously attractive face sported a smug expression as he stepped through the door and Max couldn’t decide if he wanted to punch it off his face or kiss him. He did neither, silently leading him to the kitchen instead. He busied himself with the coffee machine as Vincent settled into a seat at the dining table and waited patiently. If he bothered to turn around, maybe he would’ve caught Vincent’s adoring gaze trained on him. But he didn’t, resolutely watching the coffee machine until two cups of coffee were produced. It wasn’t until he had both mugs in his hands, with their appropriate alterations made, did he finally turn around. 

As he extended his arm to offer one of his two mugs of coffee, he hesitated for a second. “Do you still like bitter, sugarless and depressing coffee?” Max sounded almost curious. 

“Do you still like sugar water that happens to taste like coffee?” Vincent shot back, fingers curling around the mug Max offered him.

He leveled an indignant look. “I just like coffee that actually tastes good.” Came the self righteous proclamation. It was met with a doubtful hum rumbling from Vincent’s chest. 

“If you cannot appreciate my superior taste palate, I’m kicking you out of my house.” His face was schooled into an expression of practiced severity, one he often used to scold his students. Vincent made an exaggerated expression of disbelief in response. 

“But Max, I brought you the cake!”

“Thank you for your delivery, now get out of my house.” Max’s expression was flat. 

Vincent took a solid twenty seconds to draw out his act of being wounded by Max’s words. Then, a sly grin seemed to creep onto Vincent’s lips and he pretended to consider Max’s suggestion for another while. “Bold words to say to someone within cake smashing distance.” He said finally. 

Max lunged forward the moment the words left Vincent’s lips, scooping up the white cake box into his arms. “Don’t you dare.” He hissed, clutching the box to his chest like a dragon protecting its precious hoard. His eyes narrowed. 

Vincent laughed. It was a low chuckle that started from his diaphragm and pushed up passed his curled lips. Max thought distantly to himself that he was lucky the blossoming pink on his face could be excused as embarrassment. He turned his head and set the cake back down, hiding his face behind his mug as he took a long sip of hot caffeinated sugar water. 

He took another sip and then put his mug down, having finally gotten his coloring under control. “So how’s California been treating you?” Casual. Yes. That was the way to go. 

“As well as it could’ve.” Vincent said smoothly, raising his own cup to his lips. He spared a small smirk. “It couldn’t keep me though. I thought I might see how things were on the east side for once.” 

A small hum was Max’s response as he slipped into the seat across from Vincent. He fixed his gaze on his roommate, picking apart his look of the day. “Work?” He prompted, eyeing the crisp red collar of his dress shirt. What brand was that? Whatever it was, it was certainly something notorious. 

“I went into law, I told you about it over text. It’s like Professor Harris always said, I’ve always had a knack for arguing.” Max’s gaze moved on to the waistcoat peeking out from the opening of his overcoat. Another brand name, how unsurprising. Mentally, he was starting a tab of expenses in attempts to put a price on Vincent’s outfit.

“I wouldn’t say I’d been unsuccessful as well. Luckily I can still continue what I’m doing even over here.” There was a rich tone of mirth in Vincent’s voice that Max elected to ignore. He moved on to mentally deconstructing the overcoat. Vincent’s outfit was really breaking new records of costs. Of course, Max also owned a bit of pricey clothing but those were usually reserved for special occasions and there was nothing about this occasion that Max could think of that would justify such pricey clothes. Something bitter was rising in him.... and something burning hot. Was his face getting red again? ....Luckily not yet. He chose to focus on his jealousy. 

“Max.” Max was willing to bet the price of Vincent’s pants was high enough to make him want to throttle him. They were perfectly proportioned for Vincent’s legs, coming to a stop a nice inch and a half above his socks and he knew for a fact Vincent usually struggled to find well fitting pants due to his absurd height. So how on earth did he get such quality pants that seemed to fit perfectly? They were probably tailored. It was outrageous. Max could even feel his eyes twitch. 

“ _ Max _ .” He didn’t even want to think about Vincent’s shoes and socks. Yet, there he was thinking about it anyways. What nice shoes! What soft looking socks! It made Max furious! Who went around buying such high quality socks of all things? Who had that money to waste? It was ridiculous!

Even more ridiculous was how stupidly hot Vincent looked in the whole outfit. It outlined his body in all the right ways and Vincent’s unruly hair only served to bring out his rugged handsomeness. Five years and Vincent had really only just been getting hotter. It was unfair! Why did Vincent get such a grand upgrade while he didn’t? Max had thought that his crush on Vincent had faded over the years but it certainly was rearing its head now, revived from its long hibernation. It only made Max even more furious for reasons he attributed to jealousy. Of what, however, he couldn’t say. 

“Max!” Max jolted back into reality. Vincent’s face looked soft with a mixture of concern and something Max couldn’t identify. “What were you thinking about?”

“Different ways to choke you with your own coat.” Was Max’s automatic response, his fingers reaching for his cooling mug of coffee. There was an odd trick of the light and Max almost could’ve sworn he saw Vincent’s face getting flushed. Hm. Nothing of consequence. 

“O-Oh my! Care to share your daring thoughts?” Vincent batted his lashes for effect and Max rolled his eyes in return. 

“And give you time to figure out ways to foil me? I think not.” He took another sip of coffee, looking his part as a presumptuous villain. His efforts won a slight grin from Vincent. They sat in their silence for a handful of moments. Once again, Max’s thoughts returned to the infuriating topic of Vincent’s fashionable clothing and attractive face. His expression soured, despite his best efforts. 

His annoyance must have been showing on his face because the next time Vincent spoke, he spoke with an uncharacteristically gentle coaxing tone. “Why are you upset, Muhs?” 

The fire in Max quelled then and he mumbled around his coffee mug, “I’m not.” He swished the cup and then sighed. 

“You look nice.” He spoke after a bit, gesturing to Vincent’s outfit ensemble with his hand. Vincent seemed pleased by this comment, sitting up just a bit straighter to preen. 

“I thought you might like it.” The smile on his roommate’s face grew just a little bit and Max was once again distracted with the urge to kiss him. 

“Let’s go shopping together some time~” Max cast a suspicious look in Vincent’s direction. He didn’t want any charity and— 

“I want to hang out with you, Max. It’s been too long.” 

Max deflated, all of his fury draining out of him with a quiet sigh. “It really has.” He had an earnest, almost vulnerable, look on his face and he stretched his fingers across the table to brush against Vincent’s hand as if to confirm Vincent was real. His chest filled with warmth. “I’ve missed you.” He confessed softly. 

Even Max couldn’t miss the affection in Vincent’s voice when he replied, “I’ve missed you too, Max.” 

Max smiled. 

“Welcome home, Vincent.”


End file.
